What does the future hold for Ian Thorpe?
Since failing to qualify for the 2012 Australian Olympic Team Ian Thorpe has talked about his desire to compete on the international stage yet again, but right now that is all it seems to be, talk.
After not achieving his goal of competing in London Thorpe told the BBC that it was simply a matter of preparation time, “I still have a life in the pool.”
“I simply didn’t have enough time [before London] to prepare the way I wanted to and I had to compromise.”
“Now I can do exactly the training that I need to do with time on my side and I can get a preparation that will enable me to swim really well.”
Thorpe’s goals were to swim at both the World Championships in Barcelona this summer and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
After spending a great deal of time in the fall prompting his book “This is Me” , in December he told the Australian that he was ready to return to the pool without distraction, ”I’ve had a few things that have kind of interrupted training but I’m happy preparing, and being able to get back in after the Olympics, feeling motivated by the Olympics as well.”
Then came the news in March that no one in the brass of Australian Swimming had heard hide nor hair of him since the fall.
And the latest, something that most expected, Thorpe will not be swimming at the Australian World Championship Trials which start on April 26th.
So once again we ask, what does the future hold for Ian Thorpe?
what did he do for future??
I would really love to see Ian Thorpe come back and swim on the international level. Now that Phelps has retired, there needs to be someone (or more than one person) to take that place. If he is going to skip Worlds and go for the CommonWealth Games, then I hope he makes his return in the 2015 Worlds and then qualify for Rio. Imagine seeing Thorpe and Lochte going head-to-head in the 200 free…
Sadly, I think it’s all just talk. Someone of Thorpe’s ability and achievement knows how much hard work it takes to get back to where he once was, and he doesn’t seem to be doing it. I would love to see him come back and be as great as ever, and I’m surprised he wasn’t better in 2012. I don’t doubt he could still come back – 30 isn’t THAT old in swimming anymore – but he can’t do events like the 200/400 freestyle half-heartedly. And at age 30 one can understand he might not want to spend as much time in the pool as he once did.
i dont think it helped him that much because he was a 3:41 in the 400,and that was in briefs!
Is anyone here able to tell me if, clearly, his legendary full body black suit has helped him during his career? I don’t remember very well but I believe he has been the first to use it and in most of the races he was often the only swimmer to swim with.
I read his book, and he said it helped. I think like .1 seconds and I don’t remember over what distance (400m I think). If you want, I can find the exact number, but did def say it lowered his time. I think he actually had to prove that it lowered his time to even use it in 2000 because AUS had a sponsor with Speedo so the Adidas suit had to be classified as special equipment so he could wear it. I remember the big deal it was. I also remember Perkins using one at the Olympics. I thought everyone had the option, but most chose the leggings or other bodyskins because the full body was too tight/uncomfortable.
Bobo, I watched Thorpe swim live at 14 yo at 1997 Pan Pacs, even before you watched any swimming.
If Thorpe’s adidas body black suit had helped, then why was there NOT ONE SINGLE top swimmer even during they crazy days of rubber suit of 2008-2009 who wore Thorpe’s style (that is, full body suit with full arm lengths).
There was some discussion about it in the 2008-2009 and the swimmers said they didn’t like it (the full bodysuit with full armsleeves) because it hindered their arm rotation (also one reason why breastsroker only wore knee-length bodysuit).
If you don’t know, Thorpe’s was the last swimmer to break WR using briefs. And not only one or two. CMIIW, he broke… Read more »
Thank you for the details. I didn’t know that. And I don’t think he swam these times thanks to this suit. But I have only distant memories of this period so I ask a question. I have begun to watch a little swimming on tv in 1999 with VDH at the European championships. And I follow swimming seriously since 2000 and the olympic games.
I said this on another web site, but it is obvious to me that Ian is pointing towards the Commonwealth Games. As important as the WCs are in the swimming community, the Commonwealth Games rate quite a bit higher in the eyes of the Aussie citizen. Ian will get loads more exposure and financial gain IF he focuses and performs well for 2014 rather than 2013. He didn’t have enough time for 2012 but 2014 definitely gives the man the right amount of preparation time and training to come back stronger than ever.
why would the commonwealth games rate higher than worlds? i know they are pretty legit, since australia, canada britain and new zealand compete but this is worlds, so it applies to the world. more people usually means more money and fame
I agree that a world championships rates higher in level of importance in the hierarchy of competition….but I was once told by a former World and CG champion that the “average” citizen who knows little of the world championships knows more about the CGs simply because it is a “mini”-Olympics. There is the pomp of the Opening Ceremonies, parade of nations, etc. The newspaper and television coverage of the CGs trumps the worlds.
Doesn’t matter what he does as long as he’s having fun. one of the greatest freestylers ever.
Maybe he felt overexposed and under-prepared with the Olympics and won’t compete again until he’s really ready. Though, it would be really easy to lose motivation.